One in four Britons (26%) has made a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Nepal Earthquake Appeal in the two weeks since it launched, according to new research published by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).

In a first for one of Birmingham's most popular annual fundraising events, the 2015 Brindleyplace Dragonboat Festival will feature a giant screen, which will broadcast live race action and raise funds for the day's chosen charity.

The average parent will spend an extra £166 in an attempt to entertain their children during half term according to a new study. 63 per cent will fork out the money for extra food, while 26 per cent will feel pressured to pay for their children to take part in expensive activities such as holiday camps or childcare.

Work has started to prepare two popular paddling pools in Wolverhampton for the summer season, and they are expected to open in time for the late May Bank Holiday.

Following the success of the recent Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Annual Dinner and Awards which raised £8,171 for Cure Leukaemia, Chamber President Greg Lowson is in training to cycle ‘London 2 Paris: Inspiring the Revolution’ to raise even more funds for the charity he has chosen to support during his year in office.

Free fun family events from story-telling to Xbox gaming are lined up this half-term at Sandwell’s libraries. Libraries across the borough will be showing films, staging PS4 gaming sessions as well as running craft and story-telling sessions.